It has around 2500 members worldwide, including professional conservators, scientists and teachers involved with the care of heritage objects and buildings.
This includes the items and collections held by public and private museums, art galleries, libraries, archives, record offices and historic houses; as well as privately owned possessions in people's homes, from furniture to family photographs.
From 2005, Icon owned the Chantry Library - a collection of publications concerning paper and book conservation, established in 1999.
The Institute brings together all those involved with the care of cultural heritage, whether directly involved, including professional conservators and restorers, conservation scientists and teachers, students and interns, or organisations and individuals that own or hold items of heritage.
It raises public and political awareness of the cultural, social and economic value of caring for heritage and champions high standards of conservation.
The formal accreditation scheme fulfils the role of self-regulation of the profession in the UK, underpinned by Professional Standards, a Code of Conduct and Complaints Procedure, all based on principles of agreed ethical practice.
The special interest groups are Archaeology, Books and Paper, Care of Collections, Ceramics and Glass, Ethnography, Furniture and Wooden Objects, Gilding and Decorative Surfaces, Heritage Science, Historic Interiors, Metals, Paintings, Photographic Materials, Stained Glass, Stone and Wall Paintings and Textiles.
Its Networks are Higher Education Institutions, Contemporary Art, Documentation, Dynamic Objects (including clocks), Emerging Professionals, Environmental Sustainability, Modern Materials and Pest Management.